On October 3, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) published a statement blaming pro-life laws for recent cases featured in the news of pregnant women not being able to obtain timely emergency care while facing pregnancy complications – some after taking abortion drugs. In this statement, ACOG also endorses completely deregulating the practice of induced abortion, stating,
There is no edit, no amendment, no addendum to these terrible bans that can undo the harm they have created and allow for full access to care. Simply put, abortion bans must be repealed in order to ensure full access to safe, essential reproductive health care for all people. Decisions must be left to patients in consultation with their trusted clinicians, not abortion opponents or laws designed to prevent life- and health-saving reproductive health care. It is the purpose, intent, and effect of these laws to deprive patients of access to safe and reliable reproductive health care. (Emphasis added)
This statement comes after AAPLOG published an open letter inviting ACOG to join us in fighting misinformation about abortion laws and abortion drugs following the deaths of two Georgia women from complications of these drugs to which false narratives about these drugs may have contributed.
In a video for AAPLOG’s Instagram account, Dr. Christina Francis responds to ACOG’s statement. “Rather than join us at AAPLOG in clearing up confusion” about what pro-life laws require of physicians, Dr. Francis states, “instead, they have doubled down on their radical, no-regulations-on-abortion position, even claiming that those of us who do not do induced abortions want women to suffer and die.”
We are disappointed that ACOG would not only ignore our invitation to promote accurate legal and medical information, but also contribute to the dissemination of false narratives and support a radically pro-abortion policy position.
